The Mine may be an art gallery but it’s also got major fashion credentials. Situated in a cavernous warehouse at the edge of Dubai’s spunky art district Al Quoz, The Mine is a multi-disciplinary art space that moonlights as a place where fashion meets community. Since opening two years ago, the gallery has hosted a handful of fashion pop-ups, boutiques, photo shoots, and fashion installations. Tempo talked to The Mine founder Sanaz Askari about the tight relationship between art and fashion, and discovered that when it comes to the future of getting dressed in the Gulf, it’s the artists that are leading the way.
“The Mine doesn’t just act as a gallery but as a platform for design, music, film, and events. At The Mine, we take chances,” Askari explained.
Visit The Mine on any given day and you’ll see a well-heeled set; cool artists, downtown hipsters, and bohemian Jumeriah Janes, stylishly dressed in low-slung harem pants, paint-splattered hightops, and other avant-garde wares. But The Mine’s fashion cred extends beyond people-watching and into its monthly programming.
“When people ask me if this is a gallery I say no, this is a space,” Askari said.
The Mine has mastered the art of collaboration. When Parisian brand The Kooples launched in the Middle East for the first time, they chose The Mine to host their opening dinner. In the past three months, the gallery has organized a live art installation at the Dubai boutique Mahani, two weekend pop-up boutiques, and hosted the debut screening for a street style film about Dubai with Sole DXB. Recently The Mine presented an exhibition by Toronto designer Leyla Kashani, consisting of womenswear handsomely handcrafted from vintage embroidered Persian textiles.
As a showcase for local emerging designers, The Mine is second-to-none, exposing the newest Dubai talent to the world. Their latest pop-up shop, called Homegrown Dubai, featured a handful of UAE brands including rainbow-hued surfwear from Seakiss, punchy swimwear from Shaymartian, upcycled accessories from Stash, and quirky, technicolor womenswear from Dinz, among others.
“The Mine is a talent support system. We work in a non-conformist way,” Askari said.
